Electric cabin cruiser Telescope Launch

openrecreationalwooden

The Telescope was designed for a customer who wanted an enclosed cabin and a larger boat than our 22’ Phantom. When I designed this boat I took inspiration for the hull from the torpedo stern launches popular in the US in the early 1900’s while the cabin design was heavily influenced by the Thames River launches from that same era. Like our Phantom and Trouvé launches, the hull incorporates a 25 inch wide boxed keel, which places its large battery bank as far down in the hull as possible and allows the boat to sit upright if grounded or beached. The main body of the hull is constructed with four 1/8” layers of white cedar veneer, vacuum molded over male hull form, and then covered with layer of aircraft grade fiberglass and epoxy. The sheer planks and decks are built out of solid South American mahogany. The Telescope utilizes a unique cabin construction. The majority of the framework is actually aluminum channel which is then completely concealed with solid varnished mahogany. The aluminum channels allow the large beveled glass side windows to drop down into the hull during warm weather, which greatly increases ventilation. There are two pilot stations on the boat, one inside the cabin and one in the open forward cockpit. The cabin sole is of dark, dark brown African wenge stripped with light holly. The large forward cockpit sole is built using solid teak grates which open to access the batteries and anchor storage. The boat shown in these photos was custom built to fit the owner’s specifications and needs. It measures 26’ 8” in length and cost $225,000 (in 2013).